Safety device for mine-cages.



PATBNTED JULY l0, 1906.

c. MULHEAEN. SAFETY DEVICE EOEMINE CAGES.

APPLICATION PILBD MAR.5, 1906.

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CHARLES MULHEARN, OF FREELAND, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ROGER J. ODONN ELL AND ONE-THIRD T O CHARLES PHILLIPS, OF FREELAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR MINE-CASES- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1906.

Application filed March 5, 1906. Serial No. 304,327.

T0 if/ZZ 207mm/ t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES MULHEARN, a citizen of the United States, residing, at Freeland, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Safety Device for Mine-Cages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to elevators and similar structures, more particularly to the elevators employed in mines, and has for its object to improve the construction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designat- 'ing characters, is illustrated the preferred' form of the embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation from one side, and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation from the opposite side, of portions of the guide members and one of the cages or platforms of a mine-elevator with the improvements applied. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The improved devices may be applied to various forms of elevators and hoisting apparatus, but are more particularly applicable to the structures of this class employed in mines and for the purpose of illustration is shown applied to a portion of a structure of this class adapted for use in mines, consisting of four posts or stringers 10, preferably arranged at equal distances apart or in square form and constituting the guides for the cage or hoisting-platform.

The cage or platform consists of base-timbers 11, crossing each other near the ends, with the end portions extending past the corner-posts and inside the same, as represented more clearly in Fig. 3, and firmly bolted together, the bolts preferably with eyes 12 in their upper ends, to which chains 13 are connected. The chains are connected to a head member 14, to which the hoisting-cable 15 is connected.

The tracks 16 for the mine-cars 17 are disposed on the platform-timbers 11.

Disposed below the platform 11 is a frame formed of members 18, crossing each other near the ends, with the end portions extending past the corner guide-postsand inside the same, the frame 1S being the counterpart of the platform 11, as shown. The frame'lt is suspended below the platform 11 by bolts 19,

and movable on the bolts toward and away from the platform. The frame has a weight 2O attached thereto to produce a constant strain upon the frame and hold it yieldably in its downward position, the object to be hereinafter explained.

Disposed between the corner-posts 10 at opposite sides of the platform 11 and frame 1S are stringors 21, having rack-bars 22 upon their adjacent faces, the rack-bars being of less width than the string-timbers, whereby shoulders 23 are formed between the outer sides of the rack-bars and the inner faces of the stringtimbers. Disposed transversely of the frame 18 is a supporting member 24, extended at the ends between the string members 21, and provided with depending plates 25, having laterally-extended ends 26, bearing against the shoulders 23 and also against the outer faces of the rack-bars 22. Swinging from the frame 1S are trip members 27, with projections 2S, adapted to engage the teeth of the rack-bars when the' trip members are disposed in their outward positions. The trip members are pivoted at 29 in hangers 30 on the frame 1S and connected to the depending plates 25 by springs 31 and also coupled to the platform 11 by bars 32. i

The bars 32 are of sufficient length to hold the trip members out of engagement with the rack-bars when the frame 18 24 is in its lower position and when the platform is held suspended by the cable 15, so that so lonfr as the apparatus is operating properly the trip members will be held in inoperative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In event of the breakage of the cable 15 or the chains 13 the' dropping of the platform will cause the bars 32 to throw the lower free ends of the trip members 27 outward and engage the stoplugs 28 with the rack-bars, and thus effectually check the descent of the platform and its load, the springs 31 and weight 20 materially assisting the action.

The device is simple in construction, certain and effectual in its action, and can be readily applied to the various forms of elevators manufactured.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a safety mechanism for elevators, members having rack-teeth, a platform mov- -.able relative to said rack members, trip-arms swinging laterally and movable toward and away from said platform and adapted to engage said rack-teeth, coupling means between said trip-arms and platform, and a weight associated with said trip arms and operating to maintain them normally spaced from the platform.

2. In a safety mechanism for elevators, members having rack-teeth, a platform movable relative to said rack members, trip-arms swinging laterally and movable toward and away from said platform and adapted to engage said rack-teeth, coupling means between said trip-arms and platform, and springs operating to assist the coupling means in actuating the trip-arms.

3. In a safety mechanism for elevators, members having rack-teeth, a platform movable relative to said rack members, a frame suspended beneath said platform and movable toward and away from the same, triparms Swingin from said frame and adapted to engage sai rack-teeth, and links connected at one end to said platform and at the other end to said swinging trip-arms.

4. In a safety mechanism for elevators, guide members having rack-bars, a platform movable relative to said uide members, a frame movable toward and away from sai d platform and provided with stop members slidable a `ainst said guide members, trip-arms swinging om said frame and adapted to engage said rack-teeth, coupling means between said trip-arms and platform, andv springs between said trip-arms and stop members.

5. In a safety mechanism for elevators, members having rack-teeth, a platform movable relative to said rackmembers, spaced rods depending from said platform, a frame supported by said rods and movable thereon toward and away from said platform, trip-arms swinging from said frame and adapted to engage the teeth of said rack members, and coupling means between said trip-arms and platform.

6. In a safety mechanism for elevators, members having rack-teeth, a platform movable relative to said rack members, spaced rods depending from said platform, a frame supported by said rods and movable thereon toward and away from said platform, triparms swinging from said frame and adapted to engage the teeth of said rack members, and springs operating to assist the trip members in engaging the rack-teeth when the platform is released.

7. In a safety mechanism. for elevators, members having rack-teeth, a platform movable relative to said rack members, s aced rods depending from said platform, a ame supported by said rods and movable thereon toward and away from said platform, and provided with stop members slidably bearing against said guide members, trip-arms swingingfrom said frame and adapted to engage said rack-teeth, coupling means between said trip-arms and platform, and springs between said trip-arms and stop members,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MULHEARN.

Witnesses R. J. ODONNELLv Y A. C. VAN AKEN. 

